Hopping the Fence
by Eternal Flight
Summary: What if Kurt Hummel wasn't as gay as everyone expected? Just a cute little story about the friendship between the Glee kids and the shy new O.C., learning how to be who they truly are :
1. Reflections

**Chapter 1: Reflection**

Hearing the late afternoon bell of William McKinely High School made me feel even more self-conscience than I had been the whole day. It's only been eight days since I've transferred her from my small town in Kentucky, and I've dreaded every single day. Why? I'm one of those quiet chicks, you know that type that tends to slip into the background in a group people, and yeah, it makes me hard for me to make any friends. Wait, here's a news flash for you- I don't have any yet, and I probably never will.

Then why am I out here, waiting to see what Glee Club is all about? Truthfully, I don't even know myself. I guess seeing that big sign in my spanish teacher's, Mr. Shuester, room that said "Live. Dance. Sing. GLEE." must have flipped a switch in my brain. I ended up asking him about it, much to his excitement, and he invited me to stay after school to see how the club was. So here I was, lsyening through the dorr as Mr. Shue told the club's members that I was a new recruit. I could see their preppy faces now; their once excited smiles turn to a huge frown as the news hit them. No one ever wanted me - ugly, quiet me- to be a part of their club ever.

The door clicked open, and I felt my heart jump up and get stuck in my throat. Maybe I should run while I still had the chance. It would be better than another round of embarrassment. Mr. Shuester stepped out, a huge grin on his face. Yep, I should have ran, but it was too late now.

"Come on in!" He said warmly, making me feel a tiny bit better. "They're all waiting to me you."

I nodded, and tightened the grip on my messenger bag, praying that joining this club wouldn't be a huge mistake. I walked inside the music room with him, only to see twelve faces gawking at me. Some of them were preps, and some weren't, so I knew with the diversity of this group, I'd probably fit right in. Still, I knew their thoughts: "Wow, look at that freak! Her hair is so last century! She looks as flat as a piece of paper, and her taste in clothing is so bad that my granny has better fashion than her."

"Guys," Mr. Shue said, placing his hand on my shoulder. "This is Emerald Seton. She'll be joining us today to see how she likes Glee Club."

All eyes turned towards me. I really wished I was a turtle, so I could hide back in my shell and never come out. I cleared my throat and gave a tiny smile.

"Hi." I greeted, my voice coming out more timid than I intended.

A hand shot up from the crowd, from a buff guy with a mohawk. "Are you Jewish, Emerald?"

I heard a unison of groans from the crowd. Apparently, that guy had a thing for Jewish girls, or he was Jewish himself. "No," I replied, shaking my head. "I'm not. And please, call me Emi. Emerald is way to formal."

"Thanks for that little note, Puck." Mr. Shue said, laughing. "Why don't you take a seat, Emi? We'll let you watch a few of our routines."

I scanned the crowd, and found that the only vacant seat was next to that guy Puck. I made my way over there, and just stood there, staring at the chair. I really did not want to sit next to him.

The girl with the long brown hair, who was wearing a checkered cardigan and sitting next to him, looked at me and smiled. "You can sit down. Puck doesn't bite, but he does like to touch."

That creeped me out even more. I definitely did not want to sit next to him; I was one of those girls who liked her own personal space. I hated when guys touched me, because I knew what was on their minds, and it made me feel uncomfortable in my skin. Finally the guy in the dressy shirt sitting next to her said something to her.

"Rachel, why don't you just move over and sit next to Puck? The porr girl's scared out of her mind to sit there next to Puck, and I wouldn't blame her."

Rachel nodded, and scooted over one, which made Puck frown. Thank goodness I didn't have to sit next to that jock. I looked over to the guy that saved me and gave him a smile.

"Thanks for saving me." I said, putting my stuff down beside the chair.

"No problem." He said, his voice somewhat girlish/ I'd hate to admit it, but he kind of sounded gay. "My name's Kurt Hummel. We have Fashion Marketing together, right?"

"Yeah!" I said. No wonder he seemed so familiar!

"You have great fashion taste." He said, looking from my dark blue jacket to my matching quilted flats. Oh my god, he really was gay. "I love your quilted flats! Where did you get them?"

Before I could answer, Rachel turned around and sighed. "Kurt, your fashion talk with Emi will have to wait until later." She turned towards me and extended her hand. "I'm Rachel Berry. It's nice to meet you."

"Same here." I said, shaking her hand. She was the formal type, for sure.

"So why did you decide to join Glee Club? Not to be rude, but not a lot of people join out of the blue."

"Oh, I moved her a little more than a week ago." I said, tucking a strand of my almond color hair behind my ear. "I was in show choir in my old school, which is pretty much like Glee Club from what Mr. Shuester told me."

"Were you good?" Puck asked, staring at me, but then he turned away. "I mean, at singing and stuff like that."

After a sigh from both Rachel and Kurt, I answered. "I have no clue. I really enjoyed it, but I was always shadowed over by the richer kids."

"I can understand what you mean." Rachel said, staring at the cheerleaders in the row in front of us.

"Okay guys, enough chit chat." Mr. Shue said, grabbing everyone's attention. "Let's start singing! Emi, you can come sit next to me and watch. I'm sure you'll catch on to the gist of things soon enough."

The kids went through the song "Don't Stop Believing", and I sat speechless for a little while. Rachel and this guy named Finn sand the leads, and then everyone else just used their voices to sing the accompaniment and harmonize with them at the chorus. It was like nothing I had ever heard before, because my show choir had never really been that good. Then, they moved on to the song "Somebody to Love" which was equally awesome vocally, but out of the two of them, I enjoyed the first song the most. Maybe being apart of this club was going to be better than I expected.

By the end of the hour, I became acquainted with Mercedes, Tina, Santana, Brittany, Quinn, Finn, Artie, Mike and Matt. Most of them were really nice; Quinn and her little Cheerio friends didn't like me that much, but I expected nothing less. It's her loss, not mine. I said goodbye to most of them, even that guy Puck, who gave me one last look over before he left. Yuck.

"Hey Emi, do you mind singing for me?" Mr. Shuester asked, waving me over to where he was sitting at the piano. Kurt and Rachel were standing behind him, chatting about the choreography that needed to be worked out before their performance.

"Is this okay?" He asked, handing me some music.

"Reflection?" I said, reading the title. I haven't sung this song since I was a little chickie who was obsessed with any and every Disney movie. "Like from the movie Mulan?"

"Yep." He said, nodding his head. "You don't have to sing it acapella though; I'll be playing some accompaniment on the piano. You'll do fine, I'm sure."

His reassurance didn't do much for my nerves. I just nodded my head, letting him know that he could begin, and let out a series of deep breaths to the beat of the music. I could feel Kurt and Rachel's eyes on me as Mr. Shue played the opening chords on the piano, but I ignored them and began to sing:

"Look at me  
I will never pass for a perfect bride  
Or a perfect daughter  
can it be  
I'm not meant to play this part?  
Now I see  
That if I were truly  
To be myself  
I would break my family's heart

Who is that girl I see  
Staring straight  
Back at me?  
Why is my reflection someone  
I don't know?  
Somehow I cannot hide  
Who I am  
Though I've tried  
When will my reflection show  
Who I am inside?  
When will my reflection show  
Who I am inside."

I finished singing, and looked sheepishly over at the three who had been listening. Rachel and Kurt were just standing there, smiling at me while they gave a round of applause. Mr. Shuester was smiling too, and I felt really happy, as if now I was truly accepted by someone in this school.

"Wow." Mr. Shue said, running a hand through his hair. "Your vocals are great; it's like you're a mix of Mercedes' deeper vocals and Rachel's higher octaves. As for singing the lead, I think Rachel still beats you to it, but it really depends on the song. You'd be a valuable new member for Glee. Will you join?"

"I'm here, aren't I?" I said, smiling wider.

"Great!" Mr. Shue exclaimed, extending his hand. "We officially welcome you into Glee Club, Emi."

I shook his hand, and turned back around to grab my stuff. As I fished around in my messenger bag for my car keys, I listened to Kurt explain his ideas to Rachel and Mr. Shuester for the makeup and outfits that should be done for each of the songs they sang. He really knew what he was talking about, and it was the first time I had ever heard a guy care so much about things like that. At my old school, no guy had ever gone public with the idea that he was gay. It was kept locked away, deep inside of them, like it was something to be ashamed of. Looking at Kurt, I knew that was a lie.

Finally I found my keys, and picked up my things and headed back towards the door. I said goodbye to the three of them. Rachel and Mr. Shuester said goodbye, but Kurt immediately saw the car keys in my hand and looked back up with me.

"You're going out to the parking lot, right?" He said, pointing to my keys. "You mind waiting a minute? I'll be going out there too."

"Sure." I said, nodding. "I'll wait outside the room for you."

I walked out of the room, and leaned against the cold, whitewashed wall of the hallway. I started to hum something under my breath, my heart pounding wildly in my chest from all the happiness that was circulating around my body. Today was a good day, and hopefully I would have more days like this. It felt good to be needed be someone every once in a while.

"Sorry for making you wait." Kurt said, bringing me back into reality. I stared over at him, to see his car keys in his hand, and a really cute bag slung over his shoulders. He really did have a great sense in fashion taste. "I had to make sure that everyone will look perfect when they perform."

"With all the effort you're putting into this, I have no doubt that they will." I said, as we began to walk out towards the parking lot.

On our way out, we talked about different things, like what I thought about the songs that they sang today, the school in general, as well as Glee Club. It was easy to talk to Kurt; he was one of those people who enjoyed having a conversation and that took a load off of me, the person who hates getting the nerve to start talking to anyone.

"Well, this is my ride." Kurt said, stopping beside a black Escalade in the middle of the parking lot. "Where's yours?"

"Down at the far end of the parking lot." I said, pointing down a few more spots to a little lime green Beetle.

"Oh my god, such a cute car! You really do have a great taste in things." He said, smiling. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"Sure." I said, smiling. "See you later, Kurt."

As I walked down to my car I felt like I was a different person. People liked me, and I actually joined an awesome club. This was going to be better than I ever expected!

**AN: Yay! Please review and give me any ideas you have for the rest of the story! I do not own "Reflections" or any of the Glee charaters, but Emi is my O.C.! :) ~E.F.**


	2. Birds of a Feather Stick Together

**Chapter 2: Birds of A Feather Stick Together**

Three weeks passed me by so quickly. Glee became what my life revolved around, and I couldn't complain. I fit in here, no longer feeling alone or misplaced in this huge high school, and Glee was where I was going to stay. Music was like food to my soul, and I had to keep getting enough of it.

Well, there is one reason why my weeks have gone by so quickly and smoothly, and that reason was Kurt. He instantly became the girlfriend I never had, and being friends with him became as easy as breathing. We did everything together; we walked to class together, we sat next to each other in fashion marketing, we went over to each others' houses and helped each other out with homework or deciding what we should wear the next day at school. He was there for me when I got my first slushy in the face, and spent half an hour crying in the bathroom as he helped clean up my soggy mess, and I was there for him when he couldn't find his favorite Marc Jacob's jacket, which I ended up finding in the laundry basket after an hour and a half of searching frantically around his room for.

Kurt's father approved of me hanging out with him. He said that Kurt should be spending time with me, because maybe I'd finally knock some sense into him about not being gay. I knew his father loved him for who he was, but he still wanted to be that stereotypical father that every guy dreams of being when they have a son. All he had left was Kurt, and vice versa. That was the reason that Kurt told me he had joined the football team in the first place. Well, other than to be around the guys, but that was a no brainer.

My mom, not so much of a happy agreement on her part. Yes, she was glad that I finally had made a friend, but she expected it to be someone- no, anyone- other than Kurt. Still, my response to her every time she asked me why I decided to become such close friends with Kurt was that those who are lonely couldn't be picky, and Kurt was a million times better than any other kid in McKinely High. Still, I ended up making friends with a girl named Serenity, this creative and fun chick, who had the same lunch as me and also had social studies with me. She ended up joining Glee Club, too, so bonding with her became easier. That eased things up between me and mom.

Since I joined Glee Club, I really had to work on my dancing. It's not that the choreography was really tough, it's just that I was a huge klutz. I stumbled on my steps a few times during rehersals, only to get a laugh out of the Cheerios, and sometimes Mr. Shue, who would watch me just for the fun of it. Sometimes, when I felt like giving up, Rachel and Kurt would cheer me on, and I keep on going and get the routine right.

Then one day, Mr. Shuester brought in some lady who he thought would help cheer on. Her name was April, and she had been the star in Glee when she had been in high school with him. She almost looked old enough to be my mom, and she gave me this really creepy vibe that told me that she was going to be bringing some huge problems to our. It wasn't the fact that she was really pretty and she seemed to have Mr. Shuester's every attention, she just seemed like someone who would destroy the whole aura of our little club. I told this to Kurt while we were walking to our cars that afternoon, and he just said that I was over thinking things, and that we should give April a chance before we judged her. I reluctantly agreed, though I knew I wasn't going to to let it go that easily.

April stayed for about two weeks in our club, when I started to notice how she was trying to act sweeter than a sugarplum. Something was up, and I knew I had to confront Kurt about it. When I talked to him, I noticed a change in his attitude towards her, and I told him to spill the beans. After a short argument, he sheepishly pulled out a stack of Muscle magazines, and of course he name slipped out when I asked where he had got them from. It was ridiculous! Did she really think nobody would notice that she was just trying to coax them over to be on her side? I had to do something, but telling Mr, Shue wouldn't work, seeing the way he watched her as if she were a goddess. There was only one choice left; little, quiet me had to step up and take the plate and confront the phony April.

So one afternoon that week, I lied to Kurt and Serenity as we were going to our cars that I had to appologize to April for being so rude to her. They were happy to see my change in heart, and patted me on the shoulder for forgiving her, because it was the right thing to do. I forced a smile, and scurried back into the music room, only to find April standing by the piano, fluffing her hair like the ditz she truly was. My ballet flats clicked loudly on the floor, making her turn around, but I'm sure I was the last person she expected to see.

"Hey! You're name is Amy, right?" She asked giving a huge smile.

"My name is Emi, not Amy." I said through gritted teeth.

"It's practically the same thing." She innocently said. I swear, if I didn't punch her by the time I was finished talking, I would be mighty proud of myself. "So, were you looking for Mr. Shuester? He had to go make a phone call, but he should be back real soon."

"Actually, April, I was looking for you."

"Why?" She said, her voice clearly showing that she could care less.

"I know what you're trying to do." I said, watching her tense up. "I saw you trying to win everyone in the club over, and it's time you stopped. Don't try to lie, because I found the magazines you buttered Kurt up with already. I know you just want to be liked bye everyone in the club, but just give it up. You've had your chance to be in high school and act like a teenager, so stop pretending you can turn back time and get your old life back. It's time for you to live with it, and leave our club and Mr. Shuester alone."

For me, that was the boldest speech I had ever made to anyone other than my mother. I was really proud of myself, until April began to laugh. Did she think I came here to entertain her? I was being completely serious.

"I always thought you were the quiet, cutesy girl in the group, but I'm definitely wrong. Don't think this little talk of yours is going to change me around. I don't take directions from anybody, especially not kids." She said, her voice sharp with growing anger.

"You're such a bitch." I snarled, clenching my fists together. "I can't believe a nice man like Mr. Shuester could ever have pity on a two-faced hog like you."

With that, I turned on my heels and headed for the door. I was finished talking to her for a while. But before I could take another step, April spoke up.

"You remind me of myself when I was younger." She said, which was the last thing I ever wanted to hear from a woman like her. How dare she insult me!

"Really?" I said, as I walked out of the room. "Coming from a horrible person like yourself, I'll consider that a huge insult on my part."

As I drove home that afternoon, I had a feeling deep in my gut that something bad was going to happen to me for confronting April. Little did I know at the time that my instincts had been right. At the next Glee rehearsal, the day before our performance in front of the school, Mr. Shue pulled me aside after we were done and sat me down.

"Is something wrong, Mr. Shuester?" I asked, looking at him as he sat down on the piano bench,

"April told me about you coming to talk to her." He said, shaking me to the core.

"Oh really? What exactly did she say?" I asked through gritted teeth. Two faced woman was going to have hell to deal with if I got in any trouble.

"She told me that you came back after practice a few days ago and told her how afraid you were to perform in front of the school tomorrow. I know she tried to talk you out of it, but you opened up to her and told her how timid and shy you got in front of an audience, and how you were going to skip tomorrow so that the club could do a better job without you weighing them down. Let me just tell you now, Emi, that you'll never weigh us down, because a team has to work through their troubles so they can shine brighter. After talking to April about it, we agreed that it would be best that you don't participate in the show tomorrow night."

I swear my mouth hung open for about a minute. "Why? You can't do this! I'm fine! I want to perform and I always have! Don't do this to me, Mr. Shue!"

"It's already been decided, Emi." He said, getting up. "You still have to come and watch, because it's only fair. I asked Ms. Pilsbury to keep you company, and she gladly agreed. There's nothing to be ashamed of, Emi. You just need some time to get over your timidness."

That was all I needed to hear. I grabbed my bags, and stomped out of the music room, not even bothering to say goodbye to Mr. Shuester. I felt the tears stinging my eyes, as I tried to keep calm. Darn that lying, mischievous April! She'll have hell to pay for one day, if I didn't get my hands on her first! How could she do this to me?! I wanted to sing so badly, it felt like I would explode if I didn't get up on stage with the rest of the Glee kids tomorrow!

As I stomped across the parking lot, I almost collided into Kurt, who was standing beside his car, waiting for me. As soon as he saw the distressed look on my face, He grabbed my arm, but I wouldn't have any of it today. I didn't want anyone to coax me at the moment.

"You're not going to tell me what's wrong, are you?" He asked, letting go of my arm.

"No, not now." I said, through gritted teeth. "I'm sorry Kurt, but I just need some time to myself."

"Okay, Emi." He said, pulling out his keys. "I'll come over later and we'll talk. Don't do anything rash, okay?"

"I'll try." I said, knowing that was probably not going to be the case.

I drove home, and as soon as I walked into my house, I ran up to my room and slammed the door shut with a loud bang. I screamed at the top of my lungs, and started to cry like a stupid baby. I was so upset, not only because April had ruined my first performance, but that there was nothing that I could do about it. Finally, I grabbed my mp3 player and jammed the buds into my ears, and drifted off into an uneasy nap.

I woke up in a hour and a half, and the first thing I did was call Kurt. He came over, armed with chocolate ice cream and snicker doodle cookies, which were two of my favorite sweets. After helping ourselves to some, we sat down on the couch and I told Kurt about confronting April, and how she got me back by not letting me sing with them tomorrow night. He looked appalled at first, then angry, then just plain old sad. He opened up his arms, and I just sat there and cried my eyes out, yet again, all over his favorite jacket. It was so much better letting it all out, especially to Kurt, because he was my best friend and I knew he would be honest with me.

"I can't believe she'd do something like that to you." Kurt said, shaking his head as I wiped off the tears and snuff that were on my face. "Is there anything I can do? I'll get her back, because you're my main girl, Emi."

"Thanks, Kurt, but it's fine." I said, shaking my head. "Just let her have her way, because I have a feeling that Karma is going to come and nip her in the butt."

So, when Friday night rolled around, I went to the show and sat down in the audience with Ms. Pilsbury, the really nice counselor that Mr. Shuester was friends with. I could plainly see that she adored Glee Club as much as he did, and it was nice to sit there and chat with her about how the club was going. The program started, and they opened with the song that April was, of course, singing the lead of. It made me angry, watching her up on stage in the limelight, which was rightfully someone else's, not hers. I watched and smiled at Kurt and Serenity, who looked at me from time to time during the songs. Finally the show was over, and I sent the rest of the evening with my two closest friends, who evened out the evening with a hilarious late night dinner and movie.

Much to my surprise, when we returned to school next week, Mr. Shuester explained that April had left, and she wasn't going to be bothering Glee club anymore. I could have cheered out loud, but I just sat there, beside Kurt, just letting it all sink in. It really didn't sink in until Mr. Shuester came and gave me a lengthy apology of pulling me out of the program on Friday, and how he shouldn't have listened to April and how in the future he wouldn't make any other stupid decisions without consulting me first.

April wasn't here anymore. There was no one to stop me from singing and performing with the Glee kids, and it made my heart swell like I could have never imagined. As I walked out of the room, I began to sing the chorus to one on my favorite songs:

"You're not not not gonna get any better

You won't won't won't you won't get rid of me never

Like it or not, even though she's a lot like me

We're not the same.

And yeah, yeah, yeah I'm a lot to handle

You don't know trouble, I'm a hell of a scandal

Me, I'm a scene, I'm a drama queen

I'm the best damn thing that your eyes have ever seen!"

**AN: Wow, long chapter! Thank you all who reviewed, and I hope you review again! I own no rights to GLEE or Avril Lavigne's lyrics for "The Best Damn Thing." ~ E.F.**


	3. Uncovering the Truth Wannabe

**Chapter 3: Uncovering the Truth/ Wannabe**

One sunny afternoon, I heard my mom shut the door with a small click as she scurried around the first floor of our house. When she got back from working at the business firm in downtown Lima, she usually went into the kitchen and made herself a huge cup of coffee and rested for an hour or two on the couch as she watched the news on the television. As soon as I heard her slowly walking up the stairs, towards my room of all things, I knew that something was definitely up. I heard her open the door, but she didn't go any farther than my doorway. I swiveled around in the cushy chair that I was sitting in, only to stare at her blankly, as she fixed the jacket of her favorite two piece navy blue suit.

"What's wrong?" I asked, cutting straight to the point. I hadn't gotten any horrible grades in school, so that couldn't be the problem, and I hadn't done anything illegal. Whatever she wanted to talk about, was something I probably didn't know about.

She sighed and shook her. "One of my friends from work is coming over for dinner tonight, so we can work on a few more unclear points in one of our cases."

That was all that she had to tell me? Seriously? I thought it was going to be something more serious than that. I just sighed and turned back around in my chair to get back to writing my Spanish paper. Mr. Shuester might be a great teacher, for Glee and for Spanish, but writing papers was one of my weakest points in school.

"Is Kurt coming over?" My mother asked, totally out of the blue.

"Yeah." I said, staring at the clock a few inches away from me. "He should be here in a few minutes."

Like getting slammed in the face with a brick, the reality of what she had just said sank in. Kurt was either a problem with her friend, which was totally understandable; not a lot of people were okay with that idea. But knowing my mother, she would never admit to anyone that her daughter's closest and most adored friend was a gay guy; that would be ridiculous, though she would never say that to me.

"Mom, what did you say about Kurt?" I demanded, swiveling back around in my chair to give her an angry glare.

She looked away, which was a tell-tale sign that something was up. "I just told her a little white lie, Emi. She thinks that Kurt is really your boyfriend."

I let my mouth hang open in surprise for a few seconds, then I shut it as I crossed my arms. Of course my mother would say something along those lines, making something unrealistic seem probable. She was so infuriating!

"Mom, I can't believe you!" I yelled, shaking my head. "How could you lie about something like that? If she meets Kurt, she'll know straightaway that he's gay, and what are you going to do then?"

"Shut up, Emerald." My mother barked, locking eyes with me. "You'll do this for me, and everything will turn out fine. Don't question my judgment."

I shut my mouth again, leaving it in a grim line. My mother had just stepped over the line of abnormal into the realm of delusional. How could she lie about something like this? Did she think that Kurt and I could just be changed around to fit her own personal taste? Unbelievable!

Just at the worst moment possible, the doorbell rang, meaning that Kurt had arrived. After letting a small growl escape from my mouth, I hopped out of my chair and pushed past my mother. I stomped down the stairs and swung open the door. Kurt was standing on the other side, wearing black jeans and a matching denim jacket, a huge smile plastered on his face. As soon as he saw my scowl, it immediately disappeared.

"Uh oh, girlfriend, I know that look." He said, stepping inside. "What's wrong?"

"Mom told her friend, who just happens to be coming over for dinner tonight, that you and I are going out." I informed him, as I ushered him into the dining room, where we usually did our homework together.

"What? But she knows that I'm- oh." He said, coming to the same conclusion I did.

"Yeah, I know." I said, shaking my head. "I'm so sorry, Kurt. I can totally understand if you want to leave earlier so that you can avoid meeting her."

I was completely expecting him to say that it was the best idea for the situation that we were in, and that everything would be fine. Instead, he said "No, it's ok, Emi. I'll stay until she comes."

"What?!" I said, totally shocked. Kurt, GAY Kurt, was agreeing to pretending to be my boyfriend? What crack was everybody on today?!

"It's not as bad as you make it seem, Emi."He said, trying to reassure me. "I've actually done it before, for my cousin who wanted to make the guy that she liked jealous. Plus, it'll chill your mom out, so let's leave it that way. Do you have any objections?"

"I just don't think that it's right." I said, sighing, plopping down into one of the chairs. "You know how much I hate lying to people."

"Then don't think of it as lying." He said, opening up his messenger bag. "Think of it as playing a role in a play or movie. The actor doesn't necessarily have to really be the role that they're given, right?"

"Right." I said, getting an optimistic view on this whole ordeal. "You're a genius, Kurt!"

"Thanks, Emi. I try." Kurt said, laughing.

I ran upstairs and grabbed my Spanish paper, and the two of us tried to get as much of our homework done before the friend of my mom arrived. It was really quiet between the two of us, which wasn't normal. We usually talked or listened to some music while we worked, but I guess today it was just better to sit in silence. After almost forty five minutes of silence, my mother popped her head into the dining room, breaking the peaceful mood that we were sitting in.

"My friend should be here any minute, so clean up your things and move into the living room, you two. Emi, fix Kurt up so he looks more, well you know...:"

"It's alright, Mrs. Seton." Kurt said, getting up. "I can do it myself. I'll be right back, ok Emi?"

I just looked at him, and nodded. Poor Kurt was doing this all for me. He was such a good friend! He gave me a thumbs up and walked upstairs to the bathroom. I just stared at my mother as I slung Kurt's messenger bag around one of my shoulders.

"You owe me big time." I muttered as I passed by her.

If she said anything in response to that, I didn't hear her. I just walked into the family room and plopped down on the far end of the couch. Since I really didn't want to sit in silence, I turned the tv on and flipped to the country music channel. I just sat there, letting the music just drift over me. I didn't really know what song it was, or if I liked it or not, but just hearing some music soothed me. I just sat with my eyes closed, as I laid my head against the back part of the couch. It seemed like I had been sitting like that for a long time when I heard footsteps entering the room.

"Hey, Emi, I need your opinion." Kurt said, breaking me out of my tranquil moment.

I opened my eyes to see what he looked like. He had his hair in a messy, but cool, kind of throw, like a lot of guys in high school had their hair, and he was just wearing his jeans and a plain, soft gray t-shirt on. He looked cute, but not in his fashionable gay kind of cute; he was cute in a way that a lot of girls would be attracted to him if he dressed like this everyday.

"So how do I look? You're just giving me this blank stare." He said,turning around to make sure his outfit was spotless.

"Oh, sorry!" I said, shaking all those stupid thoughts out of my head. "You kind of have a similar style to Finn's, but yours has a few tweaks in it that better suit you."

"I'm glad that you approve!" He replied, as he sat down on the couch beside me.

I just shook my head, but a huge smile was plastered on my face. Kurt always knew how to cheer me up. Maybe this whole ordeal was going to be better than I imagined!

We just sat there, half-listening to the music that flowed from the next song. I wasn't sure what to say anymore; I wanted to blurt out that I thought that he looked better dressed like this, but I had no right; Kurt would probably take it as an insult. I looked over at him once, and he was staring at the ceiling, and it looked like he was daydreaming. I think he got the vibe that I was staring at him, so he just turned his eyes to stare at me, a small smile spreading out across his face.

"What are you staring at?" He asked, making me scramble for an answer.

"I was just thinking how I prefer you the way you always dress. It's just new to me to see you with this kind of look." I said. It wasn't a a total lie, but it wasn't completely true.

Before Kurt could respond, the doorbell rang, and it felt like my heart was caught in my throat. My mother came into view, gave Kurt a look over, smiled, and opened the door. Well, at least she was finally pleased, though I was far from that.

Someone stepped inside and there was a small conversation unfolding between my mother and her co worker. Kurt picked up his messenger bag, handed it to me, and got up. I just stared at the bag for a moment, then realized that he wanted me to be the one to carry it outside of the door. I slung it over my shoulder, and Kurt came and offered me his hand when I tried to get up. I took it, and the two of us were on our feet. He started to walk, and I was about to protest when I remembered the we were holding hands, but then I quickly shut my mouth.

"Remember, Emi, this is just like being a character in a play." I reminded myself silently as we crossed out of the family room to where my mother and her friend were standing.

I immediately noticed why my mother had told Kurt to act like he was straight. The lady was very conservative in her dress; she wore a floor length dark denim skirt and a long sleeved shirt, which made her look like a granny. She had a very piercing look when she looked Kurt and me over, but it soon softened after she got a better look at the two of us, as a "couple."

"Ah, so this must be your daughter, Patricia." She said, smiling at me.

"Yes, Elizabeth." My mother replied, smooth as ice. "This is my daughter, Emerald, and her boyfriend, Kurt."

Elizabeth extended her hand to him, and Kurt shook it. She just gave a nod to me, and I nodded back. So much for a formal hello from her.

"Are you a cheerleader, Emerald?" Elizabeth asked, looking at me from head to toe, which totally creeped me out. "When I was your age, that was one of the many recreational activities I did to stay in shape."

"Oh, I wish I was!" I said, lying through my teeth. "Since we moved here in the middle of the school year, the coach wouldn't let me join. It was really heartbreaking, but I'm going to practice very hard to make sure that I get in next year."

"That's a wise idea, young lady." She said, nodding her head.

Thankfully, my mother stepped in before this conversation could go on any longer. "It looks like you two should be off. It'll be too dark to go to the park if you don't leave soon. Remember to be back before 9, Emerald, because you know how much I hate Kurt having to drive you home late in the evening."

"Yes, mother." I said, smiling at my mother, then at Elizabeth. "It was nice meeting you, m'am."

"Same to you, Emerald." She said, as we walked out the door. "Don't fool around with that boy too much, or you might suffer more than you think!"

I didn't turn around or stop walking until I heard the front door shut. Kurt and I stood outside of his Escalade, staring at each other for a split sec, until we started to laugh in unison. That had turned out better and quicker than I had thought it would have. That lady was pretty creepy to say the least, but at least we could just shrug it off now and leave it in the past.

"Wow." Kurt said, as he turned on the car. "You're a great actress, Emi! You sounded as preppy as any of the Cheerios at our school."

"Thanks." I said, rolling my eyes.

As we backed out of my driveway and onto the road, a familiar song same on Kurt's radio. At first, I couldn't put my finger on what the song was, but as soon as the singing started, I immediately knew what it was; Wannabe by the Spice Girls, of all things.

"_Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want,_  
_S__o tell m__e what you want, what you really really want,  
I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want,  
So tell me what you want, what you really really want,  
I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna really  
really really wanna zigazig ah_."

I sang, belting out the words as the beat of the song rocked around the car. When it got to the chorus, Kurt sang along, and I swear it was the funniest thing. He got all into character, like he was really one of the Spice Girls, and I just started to laugh uncontrollably. We pulled up to a stop light, and the guy in this little mustang beside us, who had his windows rolled down, just looked over at the two of us, and rolled up his window shaking his head, making me laugh even harder. Finally, the song ended, and Kurt clicked off the radio as the light turned green. I swore that if I laughed any more, I was going to pee my pants!

"So where are we going, Kurt?" I said, looking around us.

"You'll see, girl." He said, grinning as he turned into a small road. Kurt wasn't usually one to surprise, but I could be wrong, so I just shrugged and leaned back into my seat.

We drove a few miles down the road, the silence between us as silent as the scenery that passed us by. I didn't really feel like talking, because just watching the tall trees pass us by was entertaining enough for me. Finally, there was something coming up on the left side of the road, and Kurt slowed down, and turned into a tiny dirt road, next to which read the sign: LITTLE LIMA PARK.

"A park?" I asked, looking around.

"Yep." Kurt said, parking in the tiny parking lot that appeared before us. "I think some fresh air is a good idea."

We hopped out of the car, and made our way to the little park that lay some feet away from us. It was a cute little park; just a simple playground surrounded by a walking trail that looped around the park grounds. There were a few people here; mostly older people walking around the trail, listening to their radios or chatting. The poor playground was so deserted and unused; no little children were there playing on it, like you would expect to see when you go to a park.

"How did you know that this little park was here, Kurt?" I asked, as we made our way to the playground. "It's adorable!"

"I used to play here all the time when I was little." He replied, gesturing to the playground with a small smile. "The other kids knew that I was different, so no one ever wanted to play with me, so most of the time I would just play by myself. They would make fun of me and call me names, and it hurt my dad more than it hurt me. Being a softie, he took me here instead, so I could play all I wanted without other kids making fun of me. I actually didn't mind; what little kid didn't want a playground all to themselves?"

"That must have been tough, though." I admitted, as we sat down on the swings. "You say it like it wasn't a big deal, but I'm sure that you were hurt."

"Yeah, you're right. I was hurt, but I knew that this was the way I wanted to live my life. Everyone has the right to be happy, but how they achieve it is always different." He said, staring out into the distance.

"That's totally true." I said, nodding my head. "Still, I'm just amazed that you've been content with being gay for so long. I don't mean that as an insult, Kurt, but you're the first person I've ever met that's been content with that."

"Most guys are content with video games and a football, but I've always been content with a sensible pair of heels and a make up bag." Kurt replied, laughing. "Still, there's one person who keeps me going, because girl, being gay without a goal is never a good thing."

I couldn't help but laugh at his laugh comment. "So who is he? Do I know him?"

Kurt looked at me, then looked away. "If I tell you, promise you won't laugh at how ridiculous it is?"

"Unless it's Puck, I promise." I said, as he made a taste of distaste.

"Definitely not. He's not my type at all, Emi. I don't even know why any girl would prefer him either." Kurt muttered, shaking his head.

"I know that, silly." I replied, giving a small laugh. "So, who is it?"

He looked away, and gave a deep breath. "I like.. Finn."

No way! Kurt like Finn? Finn, the guy who was dating Quinn? Finn, who was most often stupider than a brick? Finn, who copied off of cheerleaders duller than he was, and would never in his mind, ever think about being gay? I was in total shock.

"You're just giving me this blank stare, Em." Kurt said, waving his hand in front of my face. "I need to hear your opinion. Please, just be honest with me; I need to hear what you think."

"Well," I said, trying to put this as lightly as I could. "Kurt, I just think that... Finn is never going to want to be anything more than friends, because look at him. He's the type of guy most girls would go out with, and he's content with that. He's a great guy, but the chances.. they're so slim."

There was a silence between us that could have filled in the Grand Canyon. I just sat, staring at my feet, really regretting what I had just said. I had just ruined any hopes that he had for being with Finn, but let's face it: those hopes were huge and really unrealistic. Suddenly, Kurt started laughing, pulling me away from my thoughts.

"What are you laughing about?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. "Did I miss something?"

"No, no." Kurt said, shaking his head, as he put his hand on my shoulder. "It's just, hearing the truth from you makes me realize how stupid I've been. The quicker I know that I'm just a distraction to Finn, the better, because he's not the one meant for me. I know, deep in my heart, that there is someone out there who is perfect for me, and acting like a love-sick puppy for Finn won't do either of us any good."

"Wow." I said, trying to let everything he just said sink in. Kurt had such a huge heart! "You're such a great person, Kurt. Whoever this person is, they sure are lucky. You're one in a million."

"So are you, Emi." He replied, as he got up. "I would have never admitted this to anyone, but with you, I knew that you would keep it to yourself and tell me straight up what you felt. It's no wonder you're my best friend!"

"I know this might be childish," I said, as I got up, "but I want you to do something."

"What?" He said, staring at my face, trying to read what I was about to say next.

"How about a pinkie promise?" I said, holding up my pinkie, as a huge grin spread across my face. "I promise to be here for you, through thick or thin, no matter what anyone in Lima or the entire earth thinks, and that we will be friends for life."

Kurt intertwined his pinkie around mine, as he gave a little laugh. "You had me scared there for a second, girl! Well, I promise, too, that I will be there for you, no matter what comes our way, and no one in Lima or the world can stop me from being friends with you for life."

"Yay!" I said, giving a small laugh, as we started to walk to the car. I felt like such a child, but who cares? Being a kid is okay, every once in a while!

"Yay!" Kurt mimicked, giving a huge grin. "Now that that's settled, how about some ice cream?"

How could I resist? Ice cream was one of my weaknesses. Plus, since I was with my best and truest friend, nothing could get in our way.

**AN: I finally finished this chapter. Thanks to all who have reviewed, and please make sure to review. I love knowing if you like my story. ~E.F.**


	4. Big Talk, Big Heart

**Chapter 4: Big Talk, Big Heart Part 1**

I felt like me and Kurt had bonded on a much deeper level after the truth about him liking Finn had come out. Now, he was more open to talk to me about everything, and I made me happy, because it was the first time in my life that anyone had ever wanted to share so much about themselves with me. Don't get me wrong; I had friends and all growing up, but I never got super close. It's just that, ever since I was little, I didn't really trust people all that much. I guess growing up with my mother, who was a lawyer, you tend to see things in a different light. You know how most kids, up until the age of eight or ten, think that Santa is real? Not me. My mother said she would have none of that "nonsense" in her house, so the topic of Santa was never brought up from that point, so from being a child of five years old, there was no magic that filled our home during the holiday season.

When we went back to school the next week, the people in our Glee seemed to be out of it, like they had nothing to look forward to in this club anymore. I just sat there, shaking my head, as I hastily whispered to Kurt and Serenity that we had a performance coming up soon, and then sectionals somewhere far off into the distance. They both nodded, agreeing that the others needed to get their acts together.

As if he was telepathic, Mr. Shuester got up from his piano bench and said that he needed to help get the club back into the mood to sing. We all just watched him, not sure what to expect, and finally he nodded to the instrumentalists, and the familiar beat of "Bust A Move" surrounded the room. Serenity and I couldn't help but laugh, and we started to dance to the beat of the song. The guys got really into it, and soon we were all standing up, singing and dancing like a bunch of idiots. Well, all expect for Kurt. He was standing all by himself, just shaking his head, not appreciating the song that we were singing. It took me a minute to figure out why that was, but then I understood; it was about a guy trying to get a girl, and that did not fit Kurt's motto.

Sighing, I pulled myself away from the fun, and shimmied my way back over to him. He just looked at me, almost smirked, but decided against it, as the girls went into their part of the chorus. He rolled his eyes, and crossed his arms, meaning that there was no way on earth that I could convince him to join in.

"Come on, Kurt!" I said, grabbing him by the arms, as I gave him a confidant smirk. "Don't be such a spoil-sport. Everyone else is dancing and singing, so you should too. Don't give me the excuse that this song totally goes against your beliefs, because I already thought ahead. You could just dance with me! Please??"

He stared at my face, and just rolled his eyes and uncrossed his arms. "Fine, fine, but only for a second, Emi. You know I really hate this song."

I just laughed, ignoring his irritation at the choice of song. I started to dance, and when he didn't join in, I bumped into his side, and started to shimmy and do some funky disco moves, knowing that it would crack him up and make him join in. Like I thought, he burst out laughing, and started to bump sides with me, and try to copy the moves that I had just done. I could have rolled on the floor because of how hard I was laughing, but I kept dancing, trying to beat any of the dance moves Kurt did.

Much to my dismay, Serenity came and pulled me back into the big group so I could dance with her. I knew that she really wanted me just to come back so she could dance with Puck, and it not look totally obvious. I looked back over my shoulder at Kurt, and he was just standing there watching me and Serenity walk back into the group of people, a goofy smile plastered on his face, because he knew I was the only one looking at him. I just winked before I turned back around and started dancing again.

I think Mr. Shue must have gotten the vibe that someone wasn't participating in our little happy dance, because as he was singing one of the verses from the song, he cut around our little group and went to sing the next part of the verse to Kurt. The smile that I had just seen a moment ago was completely wiped off of his face, and he was watching Mr. Shue with a growing glare. When he finally got to the line "And you're feeling pretty fine cuz the girl is stacked" and made imaginary curves on Kurt, he finally got frustrated, and with a growl, he rolled his eyes and walked to the other side of the room, where he stood watching us with his arms crossed tightly in front of his chest. Even though it to upset my best friend, I couldn't help but burst out into a fit of giggles, as the song finally came to an end.

As I was making my way back to my chair, I caught the glare that Mercedes was passing my way. I looked behind me, thinking that she was giving that look to someone else, but of course, no one else was behind me. After taking a gulp and averting my eyes, I scurried back to my chair. Why had she given me that look? I noticed Kurt and Serenity coming my way, so I quickly whipped up a cheery smile before they got an idea that anything was up.

**Mercedes' P.O.V.**

That new girl finally snapped that little twig I had been standing on with her. She didn't really seem like she deserved to be in Glee Club; seriously, being shy ain't something people make fun of. On top of that, her voice isn't all that great. We already have enough people for our club, so I don't understand why Mr. Shue even let her and that blonde ditz she calls a friend join. Ok, really, that's not what had been making me dislike her all this much, and just ranting like this isn't going to get me anywhere.

The main problem I got with that girl is what she's trying to hide from everyone else. Yeah, I know she's a liar; I can see the way she looks at Kurt. It's obvious she wants more than a friendship from him, and she is slowly milking her way to whatever she wants.

There are two big reasons to why I don't like her being with Kurt: one, is because she is just using him to make her seem innocent and sweet, because I know there ain't no way on earth there is anything good or kind lying under that pretty slightly bronzed skin of hers; she is just like the rest of those peppy cheerleading chicks.

Though I hate to admit it, the other reason I don't like her is because I used to really like Kurt, and he rejected me, and if he rejects me, then no girl gets to be closer to him than me. I may sound selfish, but people, please, you know you would do the same thing if you were in my shoes. It's not like I am going to let some stupid girl walk all over me and my feelings and get to the boy that I should have been with.

I knew the only way I could calm down was to have a one-on-one talk with her, and that's exactly what I did. At the next meeting, I got to the chorus room extra early, so I could wait for her. Soon enough she came along, humming some song I had never heard under her breath, and she was wearing the most ridiculous outfit; a green plaid button shirt with ripped jeans and a pair of leather boots. Talk about a wannabee!

"Hey mercedes." She greeted, slowing down as soon as she spotted me. "Why are you just standing out here?"

" I was waiting for you. We need to talk." I said, gritting my teeth.

"About what?" She asked, her eyes growing a bit wider.

"You know what." I said, furious that she was trying to play this game with me. "I know what you're tying to get at with Kurt."

"What do you mean?" She said, playing dumb, but then she understood. "Mercedes, Kurt and I are just friends. Nothing can happen between us; you know that he is avidly gay, and I respect that about him."

"Don't think you can try to fool me." I snapped, crossing my arms. "I know what you want from him. Even though he's gay, doesn't mean that you can't have feelings for him; a guy is a guy no matter what his preference is, and girls get attracted to guys. I know that you want Kurt to be more than your bff, girl, and if you do anything to hurt him I will spill the beans about who you really are behind those big brown eyes."

I swear that she turned about three shades paler, which means that I hit the problem right on the dot. Now that I had put things straight, I gave the ditz a quick little smirk and scurried back into the music room, enjoying the sweet taste of victory.

**AN: I do not own any of the music used in my chapters, or any of the characters used in GLEE. Just so you know, I really like Mercedes as a character, but I kind of had to make her act the way she did. Please review! ~E.F.**


	5. Big Talk, Big Heart 2

**Chapter 5: Big Heart, Big Talk Part 2**

I was out of it when I walked into the music room a few minutes after my little encounter with Mercedes. It felt like a brick had slammed and lodged itself into my skull. Why was Mercedes, of all people, confronting me out of the blue? And about Kurt of all things. I don't know why, but after she left, I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. What was wrong with me? It wasn't like I was falling for Kurt like she thought. He was my closest guy friend, and that was the only thing I had ever dreamed of being with him. For a slightly preppy girl, this was probably a little strange, especially at my age; most girls my age in this high school had a steady boyfriend, or at least someone to mess around with.

Knowing Mercedes, she probably thought of that too. But for Pete's sake, Kurt was pretty open about his gayness. What girl would want to waste her time falling in love with someone who was comfortable being attracted to people of their own sex? That's why I felt comfortable around him; there would never have to be, in the back of my mind, any doubts or worries of the guy I was friends with wanted to be much more than friends.

This was stupid! Why was I still thinking about this? I needed to get all of this crap cleared out of my mind before I took one step into the music room. If Kurt or Serenity saw the look I knew I had plastered on my face, they would immediately know that something was up and telling them might make the matter worse than it actually seemed. Heaving a sigh, I pushed as much of these thoughts out of my mind, and tried to think of something else; the first thing that came to my mind was all the music and choreography we were supposed to have down for our up coming performance for the school.

Soon enough, I had calmed down enough to make my way into the music room. The only people that were in there were two of the Cheerios, Santana and Brittany, Artie, Tina, and of course, Mercedes. As I passed by her to get to my seat, I saw the cold, disgusted look on her face. Strangely, I didn't give her the same look in response; instead, I gave her a sparkling smile. (I guess that's what they mean when they say you can kill somebody with kindness!)

I sat down and fixed the ends of my plaid shirt, as I hummed the tune of "Smile" by Lily Allen that was now on my mind. It seemed to fit the mood between Mercedes and me, but for some reason it made me think of my mother, too; she never smiled. Growing up as a little girl, I thought that it was strange, but I never questioned it. After that horrible and heart-shattering divorce from my father, she was never the same; neither of us were.

"Hey Em&m!" Serenity called from beside me, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Hey!" I replied, looking over at her. "Thanks for breaking me away from la-la land."

"No problem." She grinned, casting a quick look to Puck who had just entered the room with the rest of the football players; Finn, Matt, and Mike.

As he passed by the two of us, he looked my way, much to my disgust. I rolled my eyes and looking straight past him, wishing with all my might that he would walk away as quickly as humanly possible to his seat. God, why he couldn't look more at Serenity? She was the one interested, and that's the way it would always be. I have and will never want to have anything to do with that troublemaker.

"Oh my gosh!" Serenity gushed, latching onto my arm. "He just waved at me! Puck waved at me!"

"Really? That's amazing!" I said, trying to sound genuinely amazed and excited.

"What's amazing?" Kurt asked, completely startling me.

I looked up at there he was, smiling at me, his blue eyes sparkling in the light of the room. It felt like my heart had suddenly turned into a drum at that moment; it was beating so loudly and fast in my ears. Why? Why was it doing that? Did it always beat this fast when Kurt was around? Wait! This was not the time to be thinking like this! I was just letting what Mercedes had said get to me, but I should know better than that. There was nothing to worry about; I'm just happy to seem him, that's all.

"It's none of your business, Kurt." Serenity said, putting her hand on my shoulder. "Emi and I were just having a girl to girl talk."

"Oh ok, whatever you say, girl." Kurt replied laughing, as he sat down on my other side. "I just thought you two were talking about the biggest piece of gossip to hit us this week."

"What gossip?" Serenity and I asked simultaneously. You could always count on Kurt to keep you up to date with all the gossip and drama that went on in this stupid school. I hate spreading gossip, but I have to admit, I love to hear it.

"Well," He said, leaning closer to me so Serenity could hear. God, he was so close to me, I could smell all the organic hair products that he put in his gorgeous brown hair. I had to resist the urge to reach my hair up and see how soft it was. Argh! I was going insane! "I just happened to hear with my little ears that someone we all just happen to know has one cooking in the oven, if you catch my drift."

"Who?" Serenity asked, impatient to find out who had gotten knocked up. My brain was quickly buzzing through all the people the three of us knew, and it came down to only the people in the Glee club. Excluding Serenity and I, there were only six other girls. Immediately, I crossed out Mercedes and Tina from the list; out of all the girls, the two of them were the least likely to have a frisky escapade. That only left the three Cheerios and Rachel.

"Quinn Fabray." He said, just as she happened to walk into the room, her face tear stained and grim; it was a face of pure devastation.

Quinn Fabray? Out of the three Cheerios, she was the last one that I would have guessed. Yes, she was going out with Finn, but seriously, he's more dumb than a bag of rocks; I didn't think he even knew how to have sex. Hecks, I shouldn't be taking bad about him; people probably would have the same thing about me if I ever happened to get pregnant. Still, Quinn was pretty mean and rough around, and a little, evil part of me was glad that she had finally gotten some bad karma, but the other part of me definitely felt for her; she was captain of the cheerleading squad, and she still had her whole life ahead of her.

I'm sure that the rest of the club already knew, I could see it in their faces when I looked across the room; it was a look of both pity and disgust. If Mr. Shue had noticed it, he didn't act like it. He made us all get up and go to through some of our tougher songs before anything else. In one of the pieces, I was paired up with Kurt, and in the other one I was paired up with Serenity; there were only six guys and eight of us girls. Much to my dis may, we went through the one where I was paired up with Kurt; "Somebody to Love."

He walked over beside me and put his arms around my shoulders, swinging me from side to side, something he did often. Usually I would have laughed and swayed along with him, making us look like a bunch of penguins, but today I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I just forced a laugh out of my throat so he wouldn't think anything of me, and then the music saved me. We started to sing, and I couldn't notice all these little things about Kurt; how gentle his touch was, how handsome his face was, and how his smile melted my heart.

Oh God. Not this, please! With all my might, my all that I had within me, I wanted to think that there was no way I could be falling for Kurt. My heart was telling me otherwise; it was beating at the speed of light whenever the two of us had to touch, and it made me feel vulnerable but happy at the same time. I felt like crying; I can't believe that what Mercedes had said was really true. Thank goodness that the song finally ended, and that I didn't have to touch him anymore.

"Hey Emi, are you ok? You seemed kind of out of it." Kurt said, his voice saying that he was clearly worried.

"Huh?" I said, trying to think of something to say. It's not like I was going to be like "Oh, sorry about that. I was just realizing that I was falling in love with you." Hell would break loose before that would ever come out of my mouth.

"You're face is all red, girly." He said, pointing at my face.

Oh god, so now I was blushing. Could this get any worse? Now I really was on the verge of tears.

"Really?" I said, reaching up to touch my cheeks; they were burning up. "Sorry, Kurt. I should have done better. I messed up, didn't I?"

"Not too much." He said, still staring at me. "You should sit down. You don't look too good."

"Oh, I'm fine!" I lied, trying to find Serenity. She just happened to be talking to Puck, of all people. Right now, I really didn't care. I had to get away from Kurt now, before I regretted something.

I pushed past the Cheerios and made my way over to Serenity, ducking down my head so no one else could see me blushing. I felt so.... so what? There was no word that fit what was going on through my head. I was happy, of course, but I was angry at myself at the same time. How could I let these feelings get to me? It wasn't fair! I never wanted to feel this way towards Kurt. I wanted to go home. I didn't want to be here anymore. Someone would know something was up. Why couldn't Glee club be over soon?

As if something could hear my thoughts, I heard Finn yell something, and then I saw Quinn leaving the room, one hand on her stomach and another around her mouth. I could hear everyone whispering around us, and I knew that they were talking about the girl. Honestly, I didn't like Quinn very much either; she was snobby and annoying. Still, behind it all, I felt sorry for her; no matter how crummy she could be, having a baby is still tough.

I turned on my heels and walked over to my chair and grabbed by purse. I swept past Serenity and Puck, who were watching me, unsure of what I was doing. As I reached Finn, who had a distressed look on his face, I put my hand on his arm, making him turn towards me.

"I'll go check on her, Finn." I said, making him shake his head.

"Thanks, Emi, but you don't have to." He said, looking at the door. "I don't know if you going to talk to her would help at all; you know how Quinn is."

I didn't take his comment to heart. "It's ok; I'm going anyway."

Then I turned and look at Mr. Shue, and he nodded, agreeing the I could leave. I turned out of the chorus room, and navigated my way to the closest bathroom. Once inside, I could hear the sound of a flushing toilet. I leaned against the sinks, waiting for her. Why was I even in here? Finn was probably right; my presence here would just make her angry or more hurt.

When Quinn stepped into view, she froze. She was just staring at me, and I could definitely tell that she had been crying. Her eyes were just digging into me, a mix of hurt, anger and sadness. She crossed her arms, her lip quivering.

"What? Did they send you in here to see if the rumor was true?" She said, her voice wavering between bitter and anger.

"No, no one sent me here." I said, shaking my head, as I dug around inside of my purse.

"Then why are you here?" She barked, watching me closely.

"Here." I said, holding out an unused pack of tissues. "I thought you might need someone to talk to."

"About what? What can you do to help me through this?" She snarled, dropping her hands to her sides.

"Look, I don't know!" I said, raising my hands in the air. "I guess I was wrong to come. Sorry."

I turned to leave. Well so much for being helpful to her. Finn was right; why did I have to be stubborn and leave? This girl was never going to want to talk to me, especially now that she had all this crap to deal with.

"Have you ever felt like life was finally going your way and then something bad comes along and everything goes spiraling downwards?" She said, stopping me in my tracks.

"Yes." I said, automatically, because it was the truth.

"How did you get out of it? Was your life ever the same?" She asked, her voice small.

"No, it wasn't the same, and it was really hard for a while." I said, tucking a few strands of my hair behind my ear. "But I took it day by day, and things cleared up before I knew it. You need to take things day by day, issue by issue."

It was silent between the two of us for what seemed like forever. Finally, after pulling out a few tissues from the little pack that I handed her, she wiped away the tears and smudged make-up from her face and walked over to me.

"Here." She said, handing me the pack. "This doesn't make us friends now, just so you know."

"That's fine with me." I said with a little snort. "I didn't come here to do that, as you can clearly see."

She just nodded, and with a little flip of her hair, she exited the bathroom. Well, that as Quinn Fabray for you; she never let you saw the weaker side of her for more than a split second. I looked towards the mirror, and caught sight of my reflection. I looked like me, but at the same time, it wasn't me; I had the same disgusting chestnut colored hair and slightly bronze skin, but my eyes, they looked like someone else's. They were scrutinizing and sad, and it made me jump.

"_Stop trying to be someone you're not." _A voice in the back of my head. "_You can't change anything; you're still the same person you were before you came to this dump of a city."_

I shook it out of my head, trying to ignore it. That was wrong! I actually believe I belong here, and this is a feeling I'll never give up! People like me here for who I am; they all know we have our faults, and that's what makes us unique. I had people who really liked me, and truly cared for me.

I exited quickly out of the bathroom and made my way back to the music room. Whatever I was feeling, I would have to deal with. Kurt was not the person I liked, and whatever Mercedes was holding against me, well that was her problem. People like her are stressful, and that was definitely something I did not need. When I made my way back to the music room, Kurt was standing outside, holding my schoolbag.

"Hey girl." He said as I approached him.

"What are you doing out here? Is rehearsal already over?" I asked, stopping to take my bag from here.

"Yeah. Quinn came back in and everybody was staring at her. I think it was too much for her to bear, so she burst into tears and stormed out of the room. Finn ran after her, and that was that." He said, shaking his head. " Everyone in the room is buzzing with the news. They can't believe that our man Finn was man enough to go that far with her."

"I was surprised too." I said, shaking my head. "I never really liked Quinn, but all of this drama is not good for anyone."

"Well, maybe for me." Kurt replied, laughing.

I laughed with him. (You know, people were right when they said that laughter is medicine for the soul. I felt better already!) But that feeling was short lived as Kurt put his hand on my shoulder. I felt my heart speed up again, and I had to turn away before he could think that I was blushing.

"Hey, are you ok?" He asked, his voice clearly worried.

"Oh, I'm fine!" I gushed, moving out from under his grip. "I just remember that I promised my mom I would get some errands done for her. I better get going. Bye!"

With that, I ran down the hallway and out to my car without even turning back to look at Kurt. I felt disgusted; only a coward would run away after muttering such a lame excuse. I knew he had seen right through me, and that know he would seriously know that something was up with me. This was horrible, idiotic, and pathetic. Swallowing the tears that were threatening to fall, I got and my car and started to drive home. That was the only place I knew thought that I could be safe from all these stupid feelings that were welling up inside of me.

**AN: Sorry for such a late update! I really hope that you guys enjoy this story. Thanks a ton for all the reviews!! ~E.F.**


	6. Umbrella

** Chapter 6: Umbrella**

I didn't want to see anyone today. Especially not him. But here he was, standing in the doorway of my room with a box of tissues in one hand and a box of Oreo cookies in the other. His cool green eyes were searching my pale face, as if anything that he could find would give him a clue to what was going on. I should have known that he would come over and check on me. Not only had I stomped away from him in the parking lot yesterday, I also didn't manage to show up to school today.

Ok, the whole me missing school thing was not planned. I was going to show up, get over this stupid little crush I had made , and get back to living my bland, ordinary life. But as I laid in my bed that night, my heart was setting the situation up on its own. Everything I dreamt or thought about was Kurt. Sometimes, my heart would be nice and just replay some memories I cherished with him. Other times, my face burned hot with the embarrassment of my unconscious desire for passion. Time, after time, I would find myself muttering "Stop it already! I know he's gay! I know this is not reality! Just leave me alone."

So, to avoid as much of this torture as possible, I just laid in my bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to keep my mind on anything and everything that wouldn't relate back to him. It worked for a few minutes, maybe an hour, but then something would click, and I would be back to the zero marker yet again. And in this poor state, my mom found me when I was late coming to breakfast. She took one good look at me, shook her head, and headed back downstairs. I was so drained, physically and emotionally, that to my happiness, she ended up bringing me a sleeping pill and some water. So with all the strength I could muster, I gulped it down and went back to being a , the pill kicked in within a few minutes, with no unpleasant dreams. I slept in a dreamless state, until my mother knocked on the door to let me know that Kurt was here. I pinched myself, felt the pain, and groaned. This was going to be so much fun.

"Hey, girl. Sorry to wake you up." He said, standing awkwardly near the door.

"It's fine." I said, pushing my bed hair out of my face. "Sit down, please."

He moved to my computer table, and sat down in my cushy chair. After placing the tissues and the oreos down on the table, he wheeled the chair over, so that it was directly near my bedside. I managed to push myself up into a sitting position.

"You look terrible." He said, after a few moments in a slightly awkward silence. "It's like three shades of pale below ivory, and honey, you know that isn't healthy."

I had to smile at that remark. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I feel about the same, too."

He shook his head. "You had Serenity and me worrying like expecting mothers. I had a hunch that something was up, but Serenity said she thought you looked a little pale yesterday."

I looked up into his eyes, then looked away as my face decided to give off another blush. "You know me too well, Kurt."

"So, do you want to talk about what's wrong?" He asked, genuinely concerned. "My lips are sealed, Emi. Nothing leaves this room, I promise."

Yeah, let me just see how to phrase this without scaring the bejeebees out of him. I'm getting bullied by a large girl with an ego the size of Texas, and I also happen to be falling in love with one of the most avid gay guys within 100 miles. If I said that, I think he'd be about the same shade I was. This conversation was not happening. Not her, not now, not any time.

"Emi?" He asked, waving his finely manicured hand in front of my face.

"It's just, I've been stressed out." I said, which was the truth. "Stuff I didn't want to happen came up all at once, and I've been having a lot of trouble trying to figure them all out. I'm sorry if I worried you, I just.. couldn't keep it all packed inside of me anymore."

He just looked at me, and opened up his arms. I blinked, and before I knew it, I was engulfed into a nice and toasty Kurt hug. Of course, that was the moment my eyes decided to release the floodgates. So here I was, sobbing like a little bucket that was overflowing with rainwater in the arms of the guy who had know idea what was going on within my confused heart. Perfectly romantic, let me tell you.

After who knows how long, our hugfest finally ended. I sat there, swiping the remaining tears off of my face, as Kurt tried to dry off one of his favorite Gucci jackets. After managing to get most of the tear stains off, he handed me the rest of the tissues, as well as the entire box of oreos. I looked at him, then back at the cookies. This was breaking every rule of his strict diet, let me tell you.

"Even though I disapprove of the consumption of these overly saturated in fat cookies, I think chocolate is the perfect remedy in any problem. Just don't eat too many, or you might look like Kelly Clarkson did before she had to go on another diet." He said, as kindly as he could.

"Thanks." I said, between chews. Then it got silent again, and I knew he was waiting for me to say something. "Well, I really do appreciate you coming over here to check on me. You always know how to cheer me up."

"In the words of Rihanna, I told you I'll be here forever for you, because we're close like that." He said, with a dazzling grin. "Don't ever be afraid to tell me what's wrong. I'm here for you, rain or shine. Birds of the same feather stick together, remember?"

"Yep." I said, smiling. "True blues."

After he left, I ended up eating about half of the box of oreos, as I sat and thought. Kurt would always be there for me. I couldn't let this stupid little crush get in the way of such a tight knit friendship, or let Mercede's taunting freak me out. I had to be true to Kurt, even if it meant trying to ignore all these idiotic feeling that were welling up inside of me like Olde Faithful before it errupts. But was it possible to push away everything that was saying yes, when the world was saying no? I have no idea, but I guess time would tell.

**AN: I AM BACK, CHICKIDEES! Thank you all for your continued support of this story. I am thankful for each and every review or story alert I see :) And as a special note to DestinyDalma: "RUMBLEROAR!**"


	7. Shattered Like Glass

**Chapter 7: Smashed Like Glass**

The day was finally here. It was the day that I had been waiting to come, and it was finally here! Today was... my first performance with Glee Club! After April had kicked me off of what was supposed to be my first show, I finally got my chance again before the real competition actually begins. Yes, I'm probably being over passionate about this, but come on! Wouldn't you be pumped?

Day by day after my little "heart trouble" fiasco, I finally began to gain some control over my crush on Kurt. I got over the initial awkwardness I was feeling, but the blushing was still there. If Kurt saw it, he didn't say anything, and I'm really glad he never did; it would have increased the awkward meter by a million percent. And that was great, since he and I had the majorly huge task of fixing everyone's wardrobe for the performance. It was a fun experience; the two of us with sewing machines, tapping our feet to whatever song was playing from my ihome. We talked about makeup ideas, what we were or weren't looking forward too, and how marvelous we were at our task.

Now the day was finally here. The outfits were fixed, everyone got the choreography down pat, and things were sky high. Surprisingly, my mother told me she was coming to see the performance. Back in Kentucky, whenever we had a show choir performance, she stop by for one or two performances out of the whole year, and the only reason she ever came was because I asked her to. This time, I hadn't said a word, but I guess she knew how important it was for me. I really was glad that she was coming, but it added another round of anxiety. I knew her; she would scrutinize everything, and instead of feeling great about a performance, I always felt upset that she picked out all my little mistakes and made them seem more important than the performance overall.

Putting that all behind me, I got into my car and drove back to school for the second time. Kurt and I had agreed to meet up a little while earlier to do my hair and makeup. As I pulled into the parking lot, I pulled my outfit and shoes from the back of the car and made my way to the choir room. The dress was made from a really dark material, so with my Bug's leather seats, I would be a sweaty chickadee before I knew it. I hummed a little tune as I walked down the eerily silent hallways, lifting one of my hands to run through my crazy, unfixed hair. Tonight was going to be amazing, I could just feel it!

As I stepped into the choir room, I thought I was going to be the only one there. To my horrible disappointment, I wasn't. He was sitting there, staring at me as I walked into the room. Trouble? I think so.

**Noah's P.O.V.**

I don't know why, but that girl was getting to me. Ever since she walked into our Glee Club, I knew something about her was calling to me. And of course, since I am the Puckster, knew that I was calling to her. Everything about her wanted me. The way that she looked at me with those big eyes, it was her little silent way of telling me that she needed me. The way she rolled her eyes when she caught me looking her way as I walked past her was all a little act. She was just putting on a show for that blonde girl she always hung out with, who obviously had the hots for me. After screwing up with Quinn, blondes were definitely not my type anymore.

Everyone knew it was weird that she was best friends with the gay kid. I thought about it, and finally it clicked. She was using it as a cover up to seduce me! Think about it: No one wants a girl who hangs around with a queer all day, unless she was hot enough to sex up. It's not like any of the other guys in the club were going to figure that out; Finn was dealing with a preggo Quinn, and the rest of the guys have no experience what so ever with the ladies. These were all clues left by the cowgirl for me to lasso up.

I had tried making a move on her, but the blondie and gay kid were by her side twenty-four seven. It's like they made the weirdo shield that blocked out any chance of taking to her by herself. I gave up for the time being, but I knew my chance would come sooner or later, and now it had.

I didn't mean to arrive early for the performance, but I felt like doing it. It was nice to come and sit in the room without having to listen to Rachel blab about how perfect our performance was going to be, and blah blah blah. Then, to my luck, the girl walked in. She had her hair down in these sexy, bouncy waves, and the smallest amount of clothes on that I had ever seen her wear. She noticed me sitting there, and she got really flustered all of a sudden. This only meant one thing; this was my chance to attack.

"Hey." I said casually, trying not to smile.

"Hi." She said, looking around. "I wasn't expecting to see you here so early."

What a nice cover up. "Same here."

She just stood there awkwardly, staring at the floor and then at her shoes. I could just see how badly she wanted to tell me, but she couldn't get it out. What a tease! I was itching to have her.

"You can sit down if you want." I said, gesturing to the seat beside me.

She just looked from me to the seat, then ended up sitting next to me. I gave a small smirk, and kept on rolling down my newly built plan. That's why I, the Puckster, know how to get a girl anytime and anywhere the occasion arises. Now, it was time for me to lasso up this cowgirl and give her a little taste of my magic.

"So.." I said, leaning back against the chair. This had to run smoothly, or the whole situation would go wrong.

"So?" She replied, looking at the floor.

"What brings you here so early?"

"Me?" She said, jumping. "Oh, I was just waiting for Kurt to arrive. He promised he'd do my hair and makeup for the performance."

I laughed at that comment. Seriously? She was going to let that queer do her hair and makeup? Wasn't that something girls should naturally be good at doing?

"What's so funny?" She said, turning to me.

"Come on, Emi." I said, leaning closer. "You're going to let the gay kid do your hair and makeup? I think you look fine the way you are."

She scooted back, against the next chair. I smirked, and moved into her seat. Oh, so she was trying to play hard to get? That was one of my favorite games. She just looked at me, with her big eyes, and moved one more seat down. I did the same.

"Come on, Emi. Stop the games. I know already."

"You know what?" She squeaked, moving back into the last chair in the row.

I smiled. The game was over. "I know how much you're going to enjoy this."

Leaning forward, I put my hands against her shoulders and went for the goal. I finally managed to give her a little bit of Puck magic. It would only be a few more moments until she was on my lap, begging me for more.

**Emi's P.O.V.**

Puck was kissing me. That idiotic, worthless piece of man tards was kissing me! I knew something was up as soon as he asked me to come and sit next to him. Why did I have to agree? Now, he had be pinned against a wall, and he was kissing me like a wild animal. I felt sick to my stomach; if he didn't get off of me, I was probably going to barf all over him. I tried to push and kick him off of me, but he was too strong for me. God, what if someone from the club walked in on us? What could I say? What would Serenity think?

"STOP!" Someone screamed, pulling me from my thoughts.

Puck finally let go of me, letting me get a good look at my hero. To my happiness as well as distress, the person who had gotten Puck of me was Kurt. Oh my god, what was going to happen next? By the look on his face, he was clearly angry. He wasn't looking at me, only at Puck. This was going to be more trouble than I ever expected. What would Kurt do?

"Hey, queer kid." Puck said, clearly a little pissed as well. "Can't you see we're a little busy? Go play with your makeup somewhere else."

Oh god. He wasn't on planning on kissing me again? How could he talk to Kurt like that? Why couldn't I speak up? I was so useless! Way to have a cool head in a problem, Emi!

All of a sudden, Kurt walked over to Puck and smacked him on the face. It was so loud, it sounded like a cap popping off of a shaken up soda bottle. I swear I had never seen Kurt hit anyone in our span of being being friends, and I don't think I ever wanted to. An angry Kurt was the last thing I ever expected to see in my life.

While Puck was stunned from getting hit, Kurt seized this opportunity to grab me out of this dangerous scenario. I just followed behind him, ducking my head down to avoid seeing his expression. I was afraid of what he was going to think. He knew that I hated Puck. He was going to know that I was forced, and that nothing was my fault, right? Oh no! What if he thought me saying I hated Puck was only a cover up? I could never deal with being accused of such an idiotic thing, especially when we both knew how much Serenity wanted to be with him.

We finally reached the bathroom in a very heated silence. I knew that there was a lot on Kurt's mind, as well as mine at the moment. Slowly, I pushed the hair out of my face and looked up towards Kurt. We were going to have to get this over with sooner or later. Instead of looking like he was about to murder someone, Kurt was just staring at me, his eyes cooling assessing my face. Of course, just feeling the weight of his gaze was enough to make me burst into tears. I felt like such an idiot for being cornered by Puck, and having to be saved by the one guy that I actually wanted to kiss. Why did this happen today, of all days?

"Oh, you poor thing." Kurt said, pulling me into a tight hug. "It's ok, Emi. It's all over now. That bastard's not going to touch you again."

I tried to tell him how sorry I was, for letting this all happen, but the only thing that was escaping from my mouth was hiccups from crying so deeply. So giving up, I just finished crying in his caring embrace. Kurt was the best friend I could always depend on. What in the world would I do without him? Thankfully, the sob fest was quickly over, so I managed to finally say something to him.

"Thanks Kurt. You saved my life." I said, giving a shaky exhale.

"It was my pleasure." Kurt said, giving a tiny smile. "Now, let's get you cleaned up so we can get you back on track for the performance tonight."

"I don't know if I can perform tonight." I replied, crossing my arms tightly across my chest. "I was so excited to perform, but now, after all of this has happened, I don't if I'll even be able to get one correct note out of my mouth. All I feel like doing right now is sitting in a corner and screaming."

"Emi." Kurt said, putting his hands onto my shoulders. "Listen to me. None of this was your fault. You had no way of knowing that this was going to happen. I am not going to let that excuse for a man think that just because he has a pair of balls he can go around acting like a sex driven gorilla to any girl he sees. Tonight, think of me as the Phantom and you're Christine. That gorilla will be Raoul, and he made the mistake of messing with you before a huge performance. I'll be your secret guardian, and if that bastard even thinks about looking at you, I'll go psycho man on his booty."

I had to smile at that comment. "I always wanted to be Christine."

He smiled back. "Good, that makes it easier for both of us. But for now, I'll be your good old Kurt, expert of all things gay. And honey, you need that expertise right now."

I laughed and let Kurt get to work. He fixed my hair first, then moved onto my makeup. Every time his hand touched my face, I thought I was going to melt into a puddle of Emi gloop. I felt my heart pound faster than it ever had, and I had to hold myself back so many times from wrapping my arms around him and never letting go. At least tonight, I knew he was all mine. Nothing could take Kurt away from me.

After he was finished, I took a good look at myself, and was amazed. Kurt had turn a tear stained, crazy haired chickadee into a flawless, angelic looking creature. I could have never done that myself, even if I had the time and effort!

"Wow, Kurt. I feel like a beautiful angel." I said, turning to look at him.

"Hey, I only bring out what I see hidden with you." He replied, giving a dazzling smile. "Now that you're done, I'm going to go change. I'll see you later, my little Christine."

I managed a smile. After he was gone, I slumped down against the wall of the bathroom and stared off into the bland, white washed horizon. I sat, calmly collecting my feelings. Everything was going to be ok, nothing was going to go wrong now that Kurt was here, protecting me. I was safe, and everything was going to be amazing tonight, just like any time Kurt was with me.

**AN: Yay for the next chappie! Thanks a million to all of the people who reviewed on the last chapter! Please do the same for this chapter! Stay tuned for the next chapter to see how the performance went :D**


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